Jean-Pierre Issa, MD, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Coriell Institute for Medical Research, has been selected to join the Restart and Recovery Council, a new group of industry leaders in New Jersey tasked with advising New Jersey’s Governor Phil Murphy on a safe and effective path toward reopening the state’s economy. Gov. Murphy made the announcement during a press conference Friday afternoon.
“I’m honored to serve the state of New Jersey in this capacity. In our lifetimes, the importance of biomedical research has never been so apparent and this state is fortunate to have a deep bench of talent in that regard,” Dr. Issa said. “It’s critical that steps towards reopening parts of the state’s economy are done in a thoughtful, data-driven manner which limits the potential for new infections. I’m confident that this new council will chart that path forward.”
This new advisory council is divided into nine subcommittees and Dr. Issa will serve on the Manufacturing and Supply Chain committee. The entire council will work hand-in-hand with the Restart and Recovery Commission created by the governor last month.
“As we begin the difficult task of restarting New Jersey’s economy and recovering from the damaging effects of COVID-19, this advisory council brings together leaders from all walks of New Jersey life,” Governor Murphy said. “This group will not only help us gather the local intelligence we need to get our economy running again, but also will help us create the framework for coping with our new long-term economic realities.”
Coriell is currently working to fill the gaps in the supply of COVID-19 testing materials. It has begun production on much-needed viral transport media for use in nasal swab kits and is developing a COVID-19 test which relies on a patient’s saliva instead of a nasal swab.
Dr. Issa, a world-recognized expert in the epigenetic implications in cancer and aging, joined the Coriell Institute in early 2019 as its CEO and President. As such, he currently oversees all aspects of the organization and leads a talented team of researchers which have joined Coriell during his tenure. Prior this position, Dr. Issa served as the director of the Fels Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Biology at Temple University and was Chief of Translational Research in the department of Leukemia at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas.
The full list of individuals named to the Restart and Recovery Council can be found online.
About the Coriell Institute for Medical Research
Founded in 1953, the Coriell Institute for Medical Research is a nonprofit research institute dedicated to improving human health through biomedical research. Coriell scientists lead research in personalized medicine, cancer biology, epigenetics, and the genomics of opioid use disorder. Coriell also hosts one of the world's leading biobanks—comprised of collections for the National Institutes of Health, disease foundations and private clients—and distributes biological samples and offers research and biobanking services to scientists around the globe. To facilitate drug discovery and disease study, the Institute also develops and distributes collections of induced pluripotent stem cells. For more information, visit Coriell.org.
